


hung up on you

by we_are_inevitable



Series: it's always been you // drabble collection [4]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eavesdropping, Flustered jack Kelly, Getting Together, M/M, Phone Calls, and they were ROOMMATES, this isnt my favorite but ive been in a slump so i just wanted to Post Something
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29951814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/we_are_inevitable/pseuds/we_are_inevitable
Summary: Jack gulps, taking in a sharp breath. “...I’m sorry, I just--”“No, Jack,” David says, and there’s this look on his face- resigned fear, like he’s accepted his fate, but is terrified of Jack’s reaction. “What did youhear?”
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Series: it's always been you // drabble collection [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144613
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	hung up on you

**Author's Note:**

> not my best work but i havent posted anything in a hot minute so i wanted to get this out

_“Sarah, I just… I don’t know what to do.”_

There’s a pause, and then David speaks again.

_“I don’t know what to do about Jack.”_

And that’s when Jack’s stomach drops.

Maybe it’s his own fault for standing right here outside of David’s bedroom door, but he can’t bring himself to move. All he needed to do was ask David if he wanted to get some dinner with the other boys, and see if he wanted to try out that new pizza place on campus, and now… Now, Jack is frozen.

_“No, Sarah, he’s great! Really great. That-- That’s the problem.”_

Problem? There’s a problem?

Jack’s mind starts racing. Okay- yeah, sure, the whole randomized roommate thing from the university is kind of shitty, but Jack feels really good about their arrangement. He and Davey are friends. Good friends. They hang out together. They talk, and watch movies together in the living room, and even go out with friends, like, once a week. They facetimed daily over holiday break when Jack was back in Manhattan and Davey had gone home to Albany. They’ve cuddled before, which definitely sent Jack into a panic, but it felt so good. They’re really close, too, and they get along well, and, yeah, maybe sometimes Jack wonders what it would be like to date David, but isn’t it normal to want to date your roommate? Isn’t it normal to have pseudo-dates that aren’t dates but kind of feel like dates? Hell, they got coffee together yesterday, alone, with no one else, and they laughed and smiled the entire time, and they were making fun of each other in a really teasing way which made Jack feel all floaty and giddy and … and now there’s a problem?

Jack knows he should walk away, but he can’t. Not… no. The anxiety is already rising in his chest, and he can feel his phone buzzing in his hand- likely messages from the groupchat- but his feet are cemented in place.

_“No, no, it’s not-- I’m happy, I promise. Really happy, actually, if you get what I’m-- Sarah, please don’t make me spell it out…”_

Spell it out? Jack blinks a few times, clenching his fists together- a nervous little tic he’s had for years, but a silent one nonetheless, so he keeps doing it. David is almost there. Almost… and Jack feels horrible for this, horrible for listening in on the conversation, but--

_“Sarah, I think I’m falling for him. Like, legitimately.”_

There’s a loud clattering sound after that. It takes Jack just a second too long to realize that it comes from his own phone hitting the floor.

Jack leans down to pick it up, cursing himself for dropping it in the first place- but he realizes that his hands are trembling. His heart is pounding. His face feels hot, and it probably looks flushed to hell.

He can only imagine it getting even more red as the door opens to reveal a very frazzled David Jacobs, staring at Jack like a deer in the headlights.

Neither of them speak for a few long moments, until David puts his phone back to his ear and says, “Sarah, I’ll call you back.”

Slowly, Jack stands back up. He takes a step back as David calmly puts his phone into his pocket, and gulps as David makes eye contact with him. “What are you doing, Jack?”

“What? Nothing! I--” Jack clears his throat, and shrugs his shoulders as his wrist begins moving back and forth at his side. “I wanted to, uh, ask you if you wanted to go- go get dinner?” He asks, then his eyes widen. “With-- Not with me! Just- Well, with me, but not _with me,_ ‘cause the boy’s’ll be there and it’s just pizza, nothin’ special, so--”

A knowing look appears in David’s eyes. “How much did you hear?”

Jack gulps, taking in a sharp breath. “...I’m sorry, I just--”

“No, Jack,” David says, and there’s this look on his face- resigned fear, like he’s accepted his fate, but is terrified of Jack’s reaction. “What did you _hear?”_

“I didn’t mean to get all up in your business,” Jack says quickly, and bites his lip. “But I… I heard it all, and I… I didn’t mean to, Davey, I didn’t, I just--”

David shakes his head. “No, no! It’s-- It’s fine, Jack, really. I… I’m sorry, I just-...” David pauses, and Jack watches as his gaze meets the ceiling- as if he’s trying to find the words out of thin air. “It’s nothing, okay? We can just… pretend this never happened,” David says with a laugh, but it’s forced and tight and Jack may have only known David for less than half a year, but Jack knows when David is upset. “Go have fun with the guys. I have some studying to do, so--”

“What if I don’t wanna pretend?”

The words leave Jack’s mouth before he can stop them.

David says nothing- only stares at Jack, a question in his gaze- and Jack takes the plunge.

“I-- I mean… shouldn’t we- shouldn’t we talk about this?” Jack asks, gulping hard. “Because, I- I know what I heard, Davey, and… and if what I heard is what you meant, then…” Jack trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just, I don’t know, I think we need to talk about it.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” David says slowly, eyeing Jack with a nervous expression. “We’re fine.”

“What if I _wanna_ talk about it?”

“Jack--”

“No, Davey, what if I wanna talk about it?” Jack asks again, gently. “I… Listen, I don’t- I don’t know how to say stuff like this, so just- just bear with me,” Jack starts, and glances off to the side. “I… I shouldn’t’ve listened to your private conversation, and I’m sorry, but if you- if you think I’m upset or angry or somethin’, you’re wrong.”

David takes in a deep breath. “...So, how do you feel about it?”

“Relieved?” Jack offers, then licks his lips. “Happy? Nervous? Fuckin- ecstatic?” He grins, wide, and that grin only grows bigger when David laughs. “I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, Jacobs. I’m fallin’ for you, too. Like, legitimately.”

“You’re confessing that you like me and you’re just copying me? Did you forget what plagiarism is?” David asks with a chuckle, but there’s a smile on his face- one that’s brighter than the sun, practically. Brighter than the stars on a dark night, brighter than anything Jack has ever seen before. He’s radiant, and the flush on his cheeks helps tremendously.

“I just confessed that I got feelings for ya, and you’re gettin’ on my ass about plagiarism?” Jack retorts with a matching grin, and bites his lip just a few moments later. “But… I mean- I know this ain’t, like, a great confession or anything, and I know that… that it ain’t romantic or anything like that, but I can--”

“Take me to dinner and fix it, then, if you’re that worried about it,” David says with a raised eyebrow, covering his mouth to hide his smirk.

Jack blinks in surprise. “You-- Now? Right now? Really?”

“Well, if you want to,” David says nonchalantly. Jack feels his face heat up. “We don’t have to, but-”

“No! No, I-- Yes, I would like that a lot. Uh- takin’ you to dinner. I… yeah,” Jack finishes lamely. How is he supposed to speak properly, when David is right there, looking so… amused? So happy?

Jack supposes that whatever he’s said has worked, because within a few soft moments, David reaches for his hand and laces their fingers together. He gives Jack a look, silently asking him if it’s alright, and when Jack nods, he smiles. “Let’s go, then. Together.”

“Yeah,” Jack whispers, squeezing David’s hand, “together.”

**Author's Note:**

> ahh thank u for reading !! i hope u enjoyed <3  
> as always, i'm @we-are-inevitable on tumblr !! come say hi !!


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